The copper mine was a
major producer through
the 1920s & into the 1930s.

Jerome reached its peak population of 15,000 in the 1920s.

In the 1953, the copper mine closed

& Jerome's population declined.

The remaining 50 to 100 remaining residents promoted Jerome as a historic ghost town in the 1960s. Being designated a National Historic District in 1966 helped Jerome redefine itself as a tourist destination. The population has risen to 450 as Jerome promotes itself as an artistic community set in a historic Arizona town.

This is a small sample of the historic buildings in Jerome. Despite fires in the late 1800s, destroying sections of the town, much of the business area survived, providing eclectic spaces for thriving art related businesses.

This area had active volcanoes around 1,000 AD. The earth's crust to the north (Colorado) has a very thick and the earth's crust to the south and west (Arizona) has a very thin. Where the earth's crust transitions, heat from the mantle rises and melting occurs. The resulting lava fields, cinder fields and volcanic crater tell the story of violent change.